More than a new life

Jessica Weyer returned to Beatrice in August with $415 in her pocket and the hope of starting a new life with her two daughters.

She ended up with a lot more.

Weyer’s story began only a short time ago when she was a struggling young mother with two daughters, Angel, 5, and Kayla, 4, living in Las Vegas, Nev. It was hard to find a good job to afford living there and raise her daughters in a positive environment.

In search of a better life for her daughters and herself, Weyer, 24, left Las Vegas. She tried living in Mexico thinking it would be easier and cheaper to live there. She was wrong.

It was at that point she decided to return to Nebraska, she said.

As a child, Weyer had lived for a short time in Beatrice, but moved to Las Vegas to live with her mother after her parents divorced. She decided Beatrice was the place that possibly could provide her the chance for the life she wanted.

“When I came to town, I had $415 in my pocket,” she said. “I said I hope I can get an apartment with this.”

She was able to find an apartment for rent and with the money left over, she was able to buy some groceries. Her next step was to find a job.

Julie Erickson, Mother to Mother Ministry program director, first met Weyer after she was contacted by the Headstart program in Beatrice wanting to know if there was anyone that was able to carpool with a young mother, Erickson said.

Weyer had been walking twice a day across town to drop off and pick up her daughter from Headstart at the Southeast Community College, Erickson said.

Erickson soon contacted Weyer and stopped by her home, she said. Erickson said her jaw dropped when she looked into the apartment and saw that it was completely bare, with the exception of a couple of lawn chairs, she said.

After seeing the apartment and what little Weyer had, Erickson decided to take action and sent out mass e-mails to all the people she knew, she said. In the e-mail, she asked if anyone had anything to donate to Weyer to fill her apartment.

“I got so many responses, I was blown away,” Erickson said. “It’s been a snowball effect.”

With the e-mails that Erickson sent and the many that other people sent, they were able to gather enough donations to completely furnish Weyer’s apartment. There was also someone that donated about 50 pounds of deer meat and someone that donated a car to Weyer, Erickson said.

“I didn’t know there were so many people eager to help a family they didn’t know,” she said.

To Weyer, the generous donations gave her more than just a place to sit down in her apartment, she said.

“I have a home, it’s not just a house,” Weyer said. “I couldn’t be more thankful.

“There so many nice people in Beatrice that have helped us out.”

Weyer’s story could have stopped there, but it hasn’t.

Weyer’s life has turned around for her, she said. A month ago, she found a job working at Home Instead and the Eagles Club. She is also a volunteer at Burwood Books in Beatrice and involved in the Mother to Mother Ministry program.

Weyer said she also feels more like a mother as she is better able to provide.

Weyer also has more confidence in herself, Erickson said.

“She’s really come out of her shell,” she said. “I feel blessed to have met her.”

In the spirit of paying it forward, Weyer is trying to do all she can to help others, she said.

“I can’t except all this and do nothing,” she said.

Recently, Erickson watched Weyer’s attitude of giving back in action when a pregnant teen came into Burwood Books one day after she had just been kicked out of her home, she said. As Erickson was driving the teen to the motel she would be staying the night and Weyer home, she recalled Weyer asking the young girl if she would have anything to eat at the motel. The girl said no.

As they dropped Weyer off at her home, she went inside and brought back some food to give to the girl, Erickson said.

Erickson told Weyer she didn’t have to do that, but will never forget Weyer’s response.

“She said, ‘Julie, I’ve never been able to do that before,’ ” she said about giving.

People have been inspired by Weyer’s story, Erickson said. Many people have continued to donate items, which they have now put aside to assist other families in need.

“In the meantime it helps anyone — it just keeps going,” Erickson said.